Reason Monks leave for other classes

[DrkMagusX]

I was looking for some good examples storywise for why a monk would stop training and go into another class.

[Kraken]

Adoption of a new deity with a non-lawful alignment. Alternatively, disillusionment with their order of a lawful-only aligned class worshiping a non-lawful deity.

[Troacctid]

Just a different kind of training.

[frogglesmash]

Tired of losing fights.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

I was looking for some good examples storywise for why a monk would stop training and go into another class.The same as it should be for crunch: because wasting additional time training as a monk is liable to leave you a liability, leave you offensively useless, and get your friends and allies killed.

Anyone who spends their time risking their lives, whether of necessity or otherwise, is well served to ensure that they are as effective as possible in whatever role they choose to make for themselves.

Also, classes are just a shift in focus, and a shift from, say, monk to fighter is merely training to become better in the art of martial might at the expense of a few mystical abilities which aren't very useful to anyone.

[gorfnab]

Kicked out of their order because of some transgression
Master dies
Their order is attacked/decimated and they somehow luckily escaped



Also, classes are just a shift in focus, and a shift from, say, monk to fighter is merely training to become better in the art of martial might at the expense of a few mystical abilities which aren't very useful to anyone.
In a similar fashion a monk going into psychic warrior (Tashalatora feat :smallwink:) could signify that they have unlocked a new understanding of Qi.

[Machinekng]

Enlightenment is hard, and trying to give up the self in pursuit of it is very difficult, especially when said Monk is being part of very worldly things, such as adventuring.

A Monk who has been adventuring, and has found things that are more important to them than enlightenment or self-perfection, would have a good reason to go on another path.

[eggynack]

An alternative to your specific desire is to just consider class a metagame construct. You're not a "monk", or a "fighter", or a "fighter/monk/cleric/paladin". You're a fellow who happens to have this particular smattering of abilities. Whether those abilities happen to come from the monk class or from the fighter class is irrelevant, and you could go a whole game with one or the other, without the characters describing themselves as such.

While this sounds like you're ditching some essential character flavor, it doesn't really mean that at all. What it really means is that your character can be a monk without being a "monk". You learn all these different abilities that don't come from the monk class, but at heart you remain a monk. Or, conversely, you can leave the monastery to seek your own path, except your own path is just more levels of monk. It just so happens that you learned how to slow fall while in the army rather than how to rage. You can even use the traditional route, leaving the monastery and the monk class at the same time. Nothing stopping you. The end result leaves open the same story possibilities as were available before, except now they're not dictated by a rigid class system that demands that these sorts of big transitions happen to happen while leveling.

[OldTrees1]

A monk's routine is defined by rules, tasks, and traditions. Someone born into this life rather than joining it later might grow an oppositional streak. Bordom begets frustration and then anger. Sometimes the pressure cooker of anger explodes in violent rage.
A monk becomes bored. Seeking distraction they take up an art in their spare time. As years go by they find their art feels more rewarding than their duties. They decide to go out into the world to see if life will guide them to further their art or to return home.
They came to the monestary to learn about and get in touch with their spiritual side. This works better than expected when the connection feels strangely intuitive. During their time their faith grows only stronger until one day they feel the call.
Skilled with the martial arts the monk starts to take pride in their combat prowess. When the masters have nothing left to teach, besides that boring stuff, the monk decides to go out seeking sparring partners.

[A_S]

Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?431289-Dungeons-and-Dreamboats-VII-Come-for-the-Art-Stay-for-the-Arguments)'s a few threads' worth.

[johnbragg]

They reach a level of enlightenment that sees the petty rituals and restrictions and training of their order as an illusion, and that perfection can be pursued in other ways.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

In a similar fashion a monk going into psychic warrior (Tashalatora feat :smallwink:) could signify that they have unlocked a new understanding of Qi.And gained a few points of IQ.

[Extra Anchovies]

It just so happens that you learned how to slow fall while in the army rather than how to rage.

I can't help but imagine a bunch of wuxia paratroopers.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

I can't help but imagine a bunch of wuxia paratroopers.So, Narutards, then?

I imagine the neon orange jumpsuits are fantastic for stealth.

[denthor]

Wants an other in their life wants to give in easiest way is to give in:smallredface:

[The Smallest]

And gained a few points of IQ.

Psychic Warriors use Wis, so not necessarily.

[eggynack]

I can't help but imagine a bunch of wuxia paratroopers.
Yeah, thinking about it, the question isn't how the army would teach people how to slow their fall by holding the side of a building, but rather why they would do that. It's really the core issue with fitting monk training into an army context in the first place, because, if you're gonna train someone for combat, why give them any of the abilities of a monk? Might just be overthinking that though. There's always more specialized roles, centered around stuff like assassination or, as you point out, attacking from an aerial position.

[Azoth]

Yeah, thinking about it, the question isn't how the army would teach people how to slow their fall by holding the side of a building, but rather why they would do that. It's really the core issue with fitting monk training into an army context in the first place, because, if you're gonna train someone for combat, why give them any of the abilities of a monk? Might just be overthinking that though. There's always more specialized roles, centered around stuff like assassination or, as you point out, attacking from an aerial position.

I view Monk training for a military organization as something like a 1lvl dip. It gives you close quarters combat training when unarmed and a situational awareness to defend yourself when not in full gear (Wis to AC when unarmored). Even military personnel have time when they are not in gear or armed with their issue weapons. A single Monk level is a decent enough representation of basic combative training. If going for a bit higher optimization standard perhaps Unarmed Swordsage would be a better representation.

[eggynack]

I view Monk training for a military organization as something like a 1lvl dip. It gives you close quarters combat training when unarmed and a situational awareness to defend yourself when not in full gear (Wis to AC when unarmored). Even military personnel have time when they are not in gear or armed with their issue weapons. A single Monk level is a decent enough representation of basic combative training. If going for a bit higher optimization standard perhaps Unarmed Swordsage would be a better representation.
Sure, but I'm assuming that class and story are pretty unlinked, so the underlying situation is a full monk, or at least a mostly monk

[Coidzor]

They find their calling as the servant of a deity or other Power. Or they stumble upon a principle of the multiverse and become a cleric of a cause/philosophical stance. At any rate, they're a cleric now, whether intentionally, accidentally, or via deliberate divine intervention. Enlightened Fist is just a hop, skip, and a jump away. Or their hatred of the gods leads to Ur-Priesting it up.

Similarly, going through late onset magical puberty or studying magic to better understand the self and its connection to the mystical powers of Monks might lead to arcane monk gishes.

They were acting too much like a Paladin and accidentally a Paladin level.

Having to get along in the wilds and provide for themselves and survive takes time from their self-reflection and focuses them more on practical concerns and knowledge.

Too many oozes and flaming enemies makes them seek to master non-Monk weapons to better combat such threats.

They bond with an intelligent weapon or weapon of legacy that seduces them to a path of training that best synergizes with the weapon.

They discover that Modrons, Formians, Archons, Inevitables, and Devils give them the jibblies and reconsider their Lawfulness and final destination in the afterlife.

[Sian]

become enlightened to the fact that Monk while looking impressive just plain sucks

[Graypairofsocks]

So, Narutards, then?

I imagine the neon orange jumpsuits are fantastic for stealth.

In real life ninjas would actually disguise themselves as peasants and farmers.
I haven't watched it, but I think someone said the ninjas in Naruto wore them in order to blend in, because the average person wore them.
The question then is why does the average person wear a neon orange jumpsuit.

[Âmesang]

They were big fans of the Incredible Crash Dummies versus the Junkbots. :smallbiggrin:

[Flickerdart]

Many monks flee to monasteries to escape the turmoil of the outside world (or are banished there as a result of the turmoil). A change in circumstances can pull a monk back to secular matters. For example, if the monk was in line for the throne, he could have been sent to the monastery to ensure he would not be a pretender - but if the ruler that banished him dies without an heir, now it's fair game.

[Telonius]

I was looking for some good examples storywise for why a monk would stop training and go into another class.

- Got sick of carrying jugs of water up and down mountains for a crazy old dude.
- Only wanted an extracurricular activity to put on the Royal Academy application
- Expelled from the monastery for the chopstick incident. (Let us never speak of it again).
- Fire Nation burned down the monastery

[Psyren]

With Tashalatora, you're really continuing your monastic training, just in a much more mental-focused way (which you then use to strengthen your body beyond all mundane limits, so it's all good.)


Tired of losing fights.

I lol'ed but it's unfortunately valid!

[TheYell]

Bell rings for the end of homeroom (rimshot)

I always liked the "Killed the Emperor's nephew, gotta flee" motif.

[daremetoidareyo]

An alternative to your specific desire is to just consider class a metagame construct. You're not a "monk", or a "fighter", or a "fighter/monk/cleric/paladin". You're a fellow who happens to have this particular smattering of abilities. Whether those abilities happen to come from the monk class or from the fighter class is irrelevant, and you could go a whole game with one or the other, without the characters describing themselves as such.

While this sounds like you're ditching some essential character flavor, it doesn't really mean that at all. What it really means is that your character can be a monk without being a "monk". You learn all these different abilities that don't come from the monk class, but at heart you remain a monk. Or, conversely, you can leave the monastery to seek your own path, except your own path is just more levels of monk. It just so happens that you learned how to slow fall while in the army rather than how to rage. You can even use the traditional route, leaving the monastery and the monk class at the same time. Nothing stopping you. The end result leaves open the same story possibilities as were available before, except now they're not dictated by a rigid class system that demands that these sorts of big transitions happen to happen while leveling.

This is a beautifully constructed bit of wisdom.

A monk 2/fighter 2/ barbarian 2 probably still considers themselves a monk. They adapted through tough times and they prioritize defense. The rage is easily refluffed as adrenaline control. Or maybe they find that tapping their humanoid angry nature is a form of wisdom.

[ComaVision]

I'm playing a knightly character that's going to take a monk dip and I see it as my character knowing he needs to train his mind as well as his body to succeed in his endeavors (and from level one my character has meditated each night before going to sleep). My character isn't actually running off to a monastery for his dip.

If I took the monk levels first, then the character would have been practicing his mind and natural body first before donning his armor in pursuit of knighthood.

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Same reason Paladins fall: Booze, Sex, and Money.

[Necroticplague]

I was looking for some good examples storywise for why a monk would stop training and go into another class.

Why does he need to? It's not like this an MMO where you have a convenient tag over your head labelled with your class. You can continue doing the same thing as before, just represent it using different mechanics. Same coat of paint, different engine.

That said, the answer will vary highly depending on what class you're going into. Ur-priests might realize their own perfection is limited by the power that the gods are siphoning off, and try and siphon some back. Some might view their own enlightenment as requiring greater knowledge of the working of the world, and take up a spellcasting class. Some monks might be religious, and multiclass cleric. Some monks have to face up to the harshness of reality, and take up arms as a fighter. Some might develop their own martial style based on hitting first, hard, and fast, and become Whirling Frenzy Divine Lion Totem Wolf Totem barbarian.

[legomaster00156]

They realize they can cast Feather Fall as a level 1 Wizard and have a better class feature than Slow Fall.

[Graypairofsocks]

Same reason Paladins fall: Booze, Sex, and Money.

There are probably some Paladins who are ok with that. :smallbiggrin:

[Extra Anchovies]

They realize they can cast Feather Fall as a level 1 Wizard and have a better class feature than Slow Fall.

Any monk who hasn't traded Slow Fall for Aquatic Monk (Stormwrack) or Wall Walker (Dungeonscape) probably doesn't have high enough Int to cast Feather Fall anyways. But then, that's probably true of the monks who did trade it away, because they're just as MAD :smalltongue:

[Telonius]

Same reason Paladins fall: Booze, Sex, and Money.

Drunken Master does exist, and that 5th-level ability might actually come in handy for any sleeping around. So, money?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Because they want actually relevant class abilities?

Seriously, mechanics /= fluff. He can call himself a 'monk' all he wants, that doesn't mean he has to take the class. Remember this discussion we had with Miko about which version of Samurai she was?

Besides, Unarmed Swordsage does a much better job at Wuxai monk than Monk does.

Also, try reading the Book of Five Rings. Each phase of life leads to the next. A student must journey to find himself before he may call himself a Master. And during his travels, he might become many things.

[Coidzor]

I suppose anyone might stray from the path of Enlightenment due to the demands and rigors of parenting..